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Liliffith was sitting in her favorite comfy chair in her barrel home. It was brown velvet and well-squished in all the right places. It was the end of a long day of stewing and she had her feet up on her carpeted footstool. “Ah, that’s nice…” she said, as one toe after another was folded back. Deek was giving her feet a good rub as she sipped on a cup of chamomile tea.
“Deek is so glad, Liliffith,” he said. “You stand on your feet all day stewing wonderful stews. Today’s lamb broth was particularly tasty.”
“Thank you, Deek,” she replied. “And how was your day?”
“Deek has been feeling better lately. Deek thinks that what happened to Tobbs had really affected him more than he realised. Thanks to Liliffith for asking the wizardling for assistance. Deek still feels bad because the wizardling is so busy, but the retrieval of Tobbs has been a great relief.” Deek dug a knuckle into Liliffith’s heel.
“Arran wanted to help Tobbs and Deek. Arran said so, to Liliffith. Deek shouldn’t worry about asking for help sometimes.”
“Deek knows it is not right to question a wizard’s orders, but he still feels upset that Tobbs’ master did such a foul thing. The cave of spiders sounds most horrifying.”
“Who was Tobbs’ master, Deek? Did you ever hear the master’s name?”
“When our old master died, Deek heard that Tobbs was going to a wizard named Sweeney. That is all Deek knew,” he said.
“It’s your turn,” Liliffith put her feet on the ground and gestured to Deek’s. “Put ‘em up here.”
…
Liliffith saw Arran and Poppy come into the kitchen the following week, carrying a few Arctic charr on a string. She watched as they spread out newspapers in an out-of-the-way spot, sat down, and cleaned the fish together. Feenky had taught them how to do it properly. Then Feenky found a spot near the fire for the charr filets to roast. While they waited, they nibbled on some baked goods that were always set out for any hungry students or elves that ventured that way for a snack. Liliffith called for her assistant to stir the stew pot for her. She needed to talk to Arran. Well, not talk exactly.
Liliffith glanced around furtively as she approached the wizardling. She pulled out a slip of paper from under her towel shirt and held it within the bounds of her closed hand. She walked stiffly, so that no one would notice.
“Pssst. Arran,” she whispered.
“Hello, Liliffith! How are you today?” Arran asked.
“Shhhh,” she whispered louder. She glanced around.
Arran took the hint, and leaned toward her, and whispered back, “What is it?”
“The information you requested.” She glanced down at her hand and held it out toward him, gently uncovering the paper.
“Huh?” Arran looked confused.
“The… name!” She whispered, louder.
“Oh, the name!” Recognition filled his face. “I see. Thank you, Liliffith.”
“Shhhhh,” she repeated.
“Oh, sorry,” he returned to a whisper. “Is it a secret?” He reached for the paper and quickly stuck it in his pocket.
“Liliffith passing around such wizards’ names to wizardling students might be considered improper. Liliffith trusts Arran, but she doesn’t think that some elves in this kitchen would understand.”
“Well, thank you,” said Arran. “We needn’t speak of it again.”
“Would you like some charr when it’s done, Liliffith?” Poppy asked.
“Liliffith would like that, but she knows for a fact that charr is Feenky’s favorite. If there isn’t enough, Liliffith would like Feenky to have her’s.”
“There’s plenty,” said the witchling.
…
Arran didn’t mention the paper again, although Liliffith saw him regularly. She asked him to fetch her some of her favorite early nettles for soup and fresh gorse blooms for her personal tea collection. He seemed to be often out of the castle and was such an obliging young wizardling.
A month went by since the paper transfer. A new house elf arrived in the kitchen. She was a shy elf who was given the job of cleaning and chopping vegetables. That’s where many new elves began their careers in the kitchen. She was easily frightened by sudden movements. Liliffith noticed and worried a little. She introduced herself. The new elf’s name was Ninny. She invited Ninny over for her and Feenky’s puzzle extravaganza that evening in Liliffith’s home.
“Do you like puzzles?” Liliffith asked her new acquaintance.
“Ninny hasn’t done puzzles before,” she responded.
“If you don’t mind, where were you before coming to the Hogwarts kitchen?” Feenky asked.
Ninny looked down and sighed. “Ninny has been in a few places before now. Only briefly…” she paused. “Only for a short while, she was in a cave. And before that, she was in a camp.”
Liliffith gasped, quietly. “A cave?” The sound of such a place was fresh in her mind. Surely it wasn’t the same cave. “It wasn’t a spider cave, was it?”
Ninny’s eyes widened. “Yes, it was a spider cave! It was terrible!” She frowned a big frown.
“And that’s all over and done with!” Liliffith insisted.
“That’s right, Ninny,” said Feenky. “You’re with us now. Isn’t that right?”
Ninny took a breath. “That’s right. That’s what Ninny keeps telling herself. Ninny is really relieved now. But the thoughts sneak back sometimes.”
“Whenever the thoughts sneak back, just chop the thoughts with the chopping knife. Take it out on the neeps and tatties,” offered Feenky.
Ninny laughed a little. She thought they were nice.
“But how did you leave the cave? Did your master send you away?” Asked Liliffith.
“No, Ninny’s master didn’t. Her master might’ve died, she thinks. Ninny needed a place to go or she would’ve had to go back to the master’s camp. So she was happy to come here, where she was told she could go.”
“Who told you to come here?” Feenky asked.
“It was a wizardling. The wizardling found Ninny in the cave. Ninny had only been there a few days, but it was a few too many. There were dead spiders everywhere, but a few live ones, too. Her job was to collect leech juice in the cave. But there were hardly any leeches! The wizardling was surprised to find her. The wizardling was there for other business, with the master.”
“Was the wizardling named Arran?”
“Ninny doesn’t know, but the wizardling took the master’s wand and left the master in the cave. The wizardling told the master to ‘see how the master liked it in there,’ and closed in the entrance. So Ninny doesn’t know for a fact that the master is dead, but she and the wizardling decided that it was possible. The wizardling said that either way, Ninny could come here.”
“That’s correct, Ninny,” said Feenky. “The kitchen elves get to decide how the kitchen is run here. The kitchen elves get to vote and everything. Many elves don’t know it, but unhappy elves are welcome at Hogwarts even if elves’ masters don’t die.”
“No one ever told Ninny that. But why would anyone,” Ninny said. “Welp!” She slapped a puzzle piece into it’s puzzle hole. Then she glanced around Liliffith’s home. “It’s so cozy in Liliffith’s home. Liliffith conjures pretty decorations.”
“You can, too,” said Feenky. “You can decorate your barrel home however you would like.
“That wizardling, if it is Arran, comes into the kitchen sometimes. You can say ‘hello’ next time Arran is here, if you like. It might be best if you keep the wizardling part of your story to yourself, though. It would be terrible for Arran to get in trouble for it,” said Liliffith.
“Ninny’s lips are sealed forever!” She waved her hands in insistence.
“Gorse flower tea?” Liliffith offered. “Treacle biscuit?